Prom Night
by USSManhattan
Summary: When anger turns Sam into a ferocious monster, can Danny break through and save her? An alternate version of Parental Bonding.


_For personal taste reasons, I and a friend had major problems with the ending of Parental Bonding. While we enjoy the theme of shape shifting, we didn't enjoy Sam being totally transformed and, as D/S'rs, getting the crap kicked out of her by Danny to save Paulina, which seemed a weak lead in to the dance. As a way of addressing these problems and at my friend's suggestion, I've done my own version of the ending. Hopefully, you'll like it.

* * *

"I'm not looking forward to this at all. But... we have no choice."_

Samantha Manson sighed and tugged on the collar of her prom dress. She'd much rather be punching the haughty Latino she was about to sweet talk in the face, but that probably wouldn't be the best way to approach someone who can turn into a monster by being irked. Entering the bathroom, she found her target.

"Uh... hey," she managed. "Nice dress." Paulina looked up with a small sneer, cocking her head.

"Yes... and it goes so nicely with YOUR amulet."

"My a-- oh, yeah... see, that amulet belongs to my grandma," Sam stuttered, grasping for words. _Sorry, Grandma, but I'm reaching here..._ she thought.

"Uh uh..." Paulina scolded with a waved finger. "Your boyfriend gave it to ME, so I guess it's MINE now." Sam twitched at the accusation.

"My boyfriend?" the teen replied with shifting eyes and a nervous chuckle. "And they say pretty girls can't be funny," she snarked. "Danny's NOT my boyfriend. He's my BEST friend. Maybe that's why I was so hard on you," she shrugged. _"How'd this dope know I've wondered if it could be something more lately..."_ she thought before pushing the thought out of her mind.

"Oh, really?" Paulina scoffed. "I only went out with him because I thought I was stealing him away from you. Here..." she continued, snapping the amulet on Sam's neck. "Take your crummy amulet. I'm going back outside to dump Danny."

Sam clenched her fists and bit her lip in rage. The sheer arrogance of that girl! She was so angry, she'd completely forgotten what happens to the victims of the amulet. She twitched, and her eyes snapped open, now slitted purple. Wings and a tail burst out of her back without tearing her dress, as her hands and feet sprouted claws. Horns grew out of her hair as a muzzle stretched from her face, tapering teeth and turning her tongue serpentine as it went. Scales flowed over her like water, and she whirled around, facing a terrified and shocked Paulina.

"SHALLOW LITTLE WENCH!" the transformed Sam roared, diving for the Latino. She ran out of the bathroom, screaming in fear, the creature following after.

"Have you seen Sam yet?" Danny asked, looking across the gym. A scream from behind made him whirl around in time to see Paulina being chased out of the girls' bathroom by a dragon-like humanoid wearing an all too familiar dress.

"...I have now..." Tucker replied with a raised eyebrow. "And, so's everyone else," he observed. The patrons of the prom ran screaming in fear out of the doors, leaving on a few scared or foolish guests. Including ones that Danny didn't want there.

"So, yes, as I was saying," Lancer continued, "I feel that Daniel's academic performance has be-- Ms. Jimenez! I would caution you not t-- RED DRAGON!" the man screamed before he, too, fled. Jack and Maddie Fenton whirled to see the former Sam Manson literally roaring after her.

"Ghost dragon!" Jack screamed, aiming a massive gun at Sam.

_"Oh, SH--"_ Danny thought as he ran towards his father. Quickly turning invisible, he dove into Jack. The twitch of possession caught Maddie's eye.

"Jack...?" she asked.

"You know, Maddie," Jack said with Danny's voice, "I do believe we should go outside for this fight."

"'Do believe'... Jack, are you feeling all right?" Maddie asked with a raised eyebrow. "Usually, you want to slaughter any ghost in sight..."

"We need to, uh, set up a command post!" Jack urged. "Let's go! But, uh, leave the fishing line."

"But, Jack..."

"Now, Maddie!" he insisted, as Danny made him drop the line and push her out the door. As soon as his parents were outside, he phased and locked the door. He smiled slightly at Jack's confusion, Maddie's annoyance, and their pounding before another screech brought him back to reality. Sam was circling and diving at Paulina.

"Like, get away from me, okay!" Paulina cried.

"YOU INSULTED DANNY! YOU MUST PAY FOR YOUR SHALLOWNESS!" Sam roared, again missing.

"'Insulted Danny?'" Danny muttered, confused.

"That's what the monster said," Tucker nodded.

"She's NOT a monster!" Danny snapped. "Now, will you tell me why Sam's thankfully not all rampaging monster?"

"Sounds like Paulina touched a nerve," Tucker shrugged. "Genuine anger as opposed to Paulina flipping out over shallow things. Perhaps the type of anger controls what happens to the victim."

"Dragon or not, I have to stop her," Danny replied. "I'm goin' ghost!" he cried as he revealed his alter ego, Danny Phantom. He quickly grabbed the fishing line and tied it into a lasso. "Sorry, Sam!" he called as he snagged the rampaging beast perfectly. She roared, flailing her small but powerful frame in the loop. Wasting no time, Danny quickly tied Sam to a support beam. The girl thrashed.

"DESTROY THE SHALLOW GIRL!" she roared.

"No, Sam, that's not like you! You're witty, not, uh, murdery!" He looked at the creature's face; were it not for the scales, eyes, and muzzle, he'd have sworn he was staring at good ol' Sam.

"Sam, this isn't you. I know you're there," he urged.

"KILL THE SHALLOW GIRL!" she bellowed.

"Sam... you're still in there, I know it. Please, fight this thing," Danny pleaded, hands clenched together.

"FIGHT THE..." Sam's head cocked for a moment. Her eyes gleamed for a moment before she screamed "SHALLOW GIRL!"

"I saw that, Sam!" he cried, jabbing a finger at her. "Try again! I know you can do it... c'mon, please..."

"I... I... I CAN'T," the dragon girl answered, as sadness began to creep into its face and voice.

"Yes, you can, Sam, you're almost there," Danny insisted as if trying to call back a lost pet or child. "Just a little more..."

"IT'S... IT'S... I... I DON'T WANT TO BE ANGRY ANYMORE..." Sam sighed, eyes heavy.

"You aren't, Sam," Danny said softly as he took off the amulet. "Not anymore." Sam twitched and went limp as the animal body parts shriveled back into her body as if nothing happened. She lifted her head as if just waking from a horrible nightmare.

"...Danny?" she rasped.

"It's all over, Sam, don't worry," he insisted, hugging her. Sam blushed and hugged back, more than happy she was being held.

"How much do you..." he started.

"Everything," Sam nodded sadly. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

"You sure gave Paulina a conniption..." Danny replied, nodding towards the still screaming girl

"Good, I didn't hurt anyone," Sam smiled. Danny smiled back.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't care," he replied as he phased her free and slowly lowered them to the ground.

"It was kinda fun to fly," Sam admitted. "If I remembered it for that instead of terrorizing everybody."

"But, I've already flown you once or twice, so you know..." Danny trailed off. "You wanna do it on your own, don't you." Sam blushed shyly and looked away as they set down. "Well, maybe you will... someday," Danny smiled.

"Maybe," Sam smiled back. She turned to see the DJ, who somehow had not seen or heard the disaster unfolding around him, putting on another song.

"Hey, it's another slow song..." Sam observed. "You wanna...?" she shrugged, nodding towards the empty floor.

"Sure," Danny grinned as he took Sam into a dancing position, and the two magically began to glide across the floor. The sound of Tucker whining about dates was barely audible, as the two looked at each other's eyes. Sam, and to some extent Danny, so wanted to lean forward and lock lips. But, not tonight. Someday, maybe.

Just maybe...


End file.
